Ulpotha yoga retreat: from here to serenity

The Guardian UK reports in glowing terms on the Ulpotha (pictured above), “an exceptionally beautiful yoga retreat in central Sri Lanka … A four-hour drive from Colombo and a mile from the nearest road”.

“Ulpotha’s 11 mud huts are scattered across 22 acres of forest… It’s also disconnected, free from the glare of screens, beeping of devices and whirr of electricity. And guests sleep in open-sided huts under mosquito nets.”

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Sri Lanka’s return to peace and splendour

The Telegraph Luxury Travel section hails “Sri Lanka’s return to peace and splendour: exploring the island’s new hotels and ancient attractions” in a piece on the Gal Oya National Park.

“We were alone except for our guide and a few faraway fishermen in dugouts with makeshift sails. We bathed in the clear, warm water. We ate a breakfast of fresh fruits, curd and honey laid out on rush mats sprinkled with flowers.” Sheer bliss!

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The cultural triangle in Sri Lanka

The Daily Star in Dhaka features a Sri Lanka travelogue which says that “seven days is not sufficient to fully live in the age-old heritage of a country teeming in cultural delights”.

Chief among them are The Temple of the Tooth, which is one of the most sacred places of worship in the entire Buddhist world, and the ancient cities of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, the best-preserved ruins of ancient Sri Lankan civilization.

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Sri Lanka cycling: monkeys, ancient ruins and fine teas

The Australian notes that “many people go to Sri Lanka specifically to see elephants; there are about 3000 in the wild. But when you’re cycling around the island’s interior, a 3m-tall Elephas maximus — 5 tonnes of unpredictability — is not something you really want to encounter.”

Writer Robin Barton was on a guided cycling tour: 10 days, 500km, beginning on a riverside path of the northern central lowlands near Lake Giritale, and ending at Nuwara Eliya. An amazing adventure!

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Explore Sri Lanka: Negombo via the Wetlands

Insight Guides spotlights Negombo, one of Sri Lanka’s best-known west-coast resorts and just 20 minutes from the international airport, first port of call for tourist arrivals.

It notes that this former fishing village “is a good place to begin or end a visit to Sri Lanka, offering a rare insight into the island’s lagoon and mangrove-fringed coastline as well as the chance to enjoy the party atmosphere”.